Walk Away
by duckies rox my sox
Summary: Kagome has been under a curse ever since she stopped to help an old woman. Things are getting weird in her life and this blessing just keeps getting in the way. AU InuKag
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer. I do not nor shall I ever own Inuyasha and company.

**Summary**: Kagome has been under a curse ever since she stopped to help an old woman. She's finally met someone who can give her a good argument. What will she do with this curse in the way?

Based loosely… very loosely… on Ella Enchanted, but, as you can see, I used my artistic license. Maybe a little too much…

_**Walk Away**_

**Chapter 1**

What had she done to deserve this? She was a good person. In fact, this happened because she had stopped to help an old woman with her purchases. It turns out this was no ordinary old woman. She happened to be an older fairy with an… odd sense of humor.

She had thought it would be funny to try out a new power on Kagome. Kagome wasn't too pleased at the prospect of being treated like a guinea pig.

"It's all right, Sweet," the old fairy had told her. "My name is Kaede and I certainly mean ye no harm. This spell shall be a blessing to you."

Kagome looked at Kaede skeptically. "And how is that?" she had asked. As far as she was concerned, spells should be kept to small things like curing soup and fixing broken pots. No one had ever dare try one on a human being before.

"Why, my dear! I shall give ye the gift of obedience! Ye look to be about the age of marriage. What husband does not want an obedient wife? You will be prized among all other women!" Kaede had seemed very pleased with her idea.

"But I don't want to marry!" Kagome had exclaimed. This conversation was getting worse and worse for her.

"Sweetie, everyone must marry someday." Kaede had given Kagome such a pitying look that Kagome had to wrestle with herself not to slap her across the face right there. That is not something you should do when first meeting a fairy. "This will just make it easier for ye."

"But I-"

"No buts. Ye will let me bless ye with this. Ye are still very young. Ye don't yet know what is best for ye. Listen to your elders."

Kagome had silently complied. There was obviously no way she was going to win an argument against a fairy. Kaede took a step forward and placed her palm on Kagome's forehead. A blue light surrounded them. When Kaede stepped back, Kagome felt a little dizzy.

"Ye will may feel slightly disoriented for a while, dear. Sit down here by the road and do not get up until ye are feeling completely better. I do not wish for ye to have any side-effects. Also, ye may not tell anyone of what has occurred here. That is your first command." And with that Kaede had vanished in a wisp of pale blue smoke.

'And that's why I'm sitting here now,' thought Kagome. 'Curse my niceness! Oh, wait. Someone already did. That's so sad!' Slowly the afternoon started to sink in. Tears began to creep down Kagome's face. She was so deep in thought over how to rid herself of this awful tragedy that she did not notice the carriage that slowed to a stop in front of her.

"Excuse me," a small voice said startling Kagome out of her thoughts of dead fairies. She looked up to see a small demon boy about eight years of age standing in front of her and a carriage right behind him.

The little boy, noticing that she was now paying him full attention, continued. "This is my Uncle's carriage. I saw you and a wondered if maybe you needed a ride. You look kinda sad."

Kagome had to smile at the little boy. His auburn hair and little fox tail were just so adorable! "I'm fine. I can walk. But thank you," Kagome said as she slowly stood up. Unfortunately, when as she stood up, she immediately fell back down.

"You are not fine. You need help so you had better get in this carriage before I put you in myself," a gruff voice from inside called.

"That's my Uncle Inuyasha," the little boy said, pointing at the open door of the carriage. "My name is Shippo. I can help you if you want."

"Oh, all right," Kagome sighed. Why was her day going so weird? First fairies and now demons? Sure humans and demons lived together peacefully, but that was only because most of the humans were treated like servants. The only ones who lived nicely were the rich. Kagome herself was a servant for her stepmother, Kagura, and her two bratty stepsisters, Kikyo and Kanna. Why would these demons stoop so low as to help her?

With Shippo's help, Kagome managed to stand and get into the carriage. She looked over at the man sitting next to her. He had long silver hair and two cute little dog ears. On closer inspection she saw that he wasn't a demon at all, but a half-demon. 'That's weird,' she thought. 'The only known half-demons are… oh no.'

"You're the prince, aren't you?" she asked, her eyes wide with the sudden realization at how much danger she was actually in.

"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha asked, lazily turning his head towards her.

"Well, I-I mean.. that is to say.. You aren't going to kill me?"

Her statement seemed to shock Inuyasha. He turned his entire upper body to look at her more closely. "Why the heck would I do that?"

"It-Its just that I didn't recognize you and I never addressed you formally."

"Why would I expect you to recognize me? It's not like I go out much. And who would put someone to death for not recognizing them?"

"Your brother, Naraku, has put many men and women to death for not properly addressing his station, Your Highness." Kagome couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes again. How could she have made such a stupid mistake? Surely she should know what the prince looked like from some kingdom gathering or another. Not that she went to many of those. She was usually stuck at home cleaning, and when she did go it was always as her sisters' personal servant.

Inuyasha growled. "Never call me 'Your Highness'. My name is Inuyasha; use it."

"Yes, Inuyasha," Kagome squeaked. She definitely hadn't expected this reaction.

"Um, Kagome," Shippo interjected. Kagome turned around. She had completely forgotten that he was here. "Where exactly do you live?"

"Oh! Sorry. Turn left and then turn right and it is the estate with the wash in front of it."

The horses had made good time, and Kagome was only slightly late getting home. Perhaps Kagura wouldn't be too angry. Keep on dreaming.

"Kagome! Get in here this instant! The laundry is still out and, why, you haven't brought a thing back from the market! Why this is-" The tall, scarily thin woman was cut short by the sight of the second-oldest prince on her doorstep.

"Beg pardon, madam," Inuyasha said, and Kagome wondered where he had gotten the sudden charm. "The young lady here was helping me. I am sorry if I have caused you any inconvenience."

Kagura was very obviously flustered. "Your Highness! Why would that be any inconvenience to me? I am glad that my lowly step-daughter could be of service to you."

Inuyasha bowed and returned to his carriage. When it had turned the street, Kagura grabbed Kagome's wrist and pulled her inside the small mansion. "What were you doing conversing with the prince? You had best not be trying to steal him away from my Kikyo."

"No, Ma'm." In real life, Inuyasha had never met Kikyo. But Kagura was absolutely certain that her daughter would be the one to marry the prince and gain control of the kingdom. See, the King and Queen have three sons. The oldest, Sheshomaru, had given up his right to the crown when he had married outside of the kingdom and was now ruling along side Queen Rin in their neighboring kingdom. That left Inuyasha as ruler to the kingdom.

"Good. Tomorrow you may go back to the market and buy our food. Now you may make dinner, but you shall not be eating any tonight." Its not like Kagome really cared. She was the cook. She could just eat some food in the kitchen and they would never know. Kagura had decided that she couldn't be bothered by trivial things such as an inventory count and so sneaking food from the kitchen had become a natural thing.

For dinner Kagome prepared the stew using ingredients that she had hidden in the back of the pantry for times such as these. It was a good dinner for her step-family but it soon turned rotten for her. She discovered that she couldn't eat anything. Its not that she didn't try. Oh, did she try. Its that every time she brought a morsel of food to her mouth she would become immensely dizzy.

'Could this be the fairy's curse?' she wondered. It made sense. Great. Now she would starve to death at the hands of evil Kagura. Kaede should have taken this into consideration, not marriage!

_Later That Night_

Kagome was at it again. Sneaking out of the house late at night. Shame on her. It was a nightly thing that she snuck out of her little closet of a room after everyone had gone to sleep to visit her best friend, Sango. She had to let Sango know about the curse somehow. She didn't know how yet, but she would figure it out soon.

When she reached Sango's estate, she saw Sango standing under a tree that they had come to call their tree. They had been meeting under it to talk and hang out for eight years now. They had met when Sango's family had moved to the kingdom from the neighboring kingdom of Dunn. Kagome had been the only person to make friends with the foreign Sango. Everyone else had made fun of her weird accent and customs.

"Come here!" Sango yelled, and Kagome reluctantly agreed. She hated being told what to do, even if it was by her best friend.

They both sat down comfortably under the tree. Kagome shifted a little. "I have something I need to tell you, but… I can't"

"Let me guess," said Sango. "You were given a 'blessing' by a senile old fairy and now you have to obey any order given to you?"

chirp chirp

The crickets were all that could be heard as Kagome stared wide-eyed at Sango.

"How did you know?!" she screamed. Sango quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

"These meetings are supposed to be secret as in nobody can find us together. Screaming would kind of defeat the entire purpose." Kagome knew it was true. Kagome and Sango could never be caught together or else Kagome would be put to death. Servants weren't supposed to meet secretly with other wealthy folks. It usually meant they were plotting the death of their mistress or something like that. "And you can take your pick of reasons. I either knew something was up when you actually obeyed me and came here or I met said senile old fairy."

"You met her?!"

"Yeah. She came to me and said you were going to need help finding a good husband who wants an obedient wife when you can't tell anybody that you are obedient. So she wanted me to spread the word for you. Well, actually, what she said was, 'Thy friend needs a husband so I have given her a blessing of obedience. Now, my little flower, spread word of thy friend's nature so that she may find many suitors.'"

"I'm really sorry, Sango. I didn't want you to be scared to death."

"Its ok. I thought the puffy stuff from when she disappeared was awesome!"

Kagome squinted at her friend. Sometimes she just didn't get her.

"And besides," Sango continued, "you can make it up to me by going to the kingdom gathering tomorrow. There's going to be dancing in the streeet." She sang that last part.

"But I-"

"Eh eh eh. No buts. You are coming if I have to kidnap you myself. Besides, the step-evils are going to be there to. All we have to do is keep you away from them and get you back an hour before them."

Kagome contemplated this idea right after she contemplated why she couldn't get a word in edge-wise today. It wasn't that bad of an idea. And it would take her mind off of the current matters at hand.

"All right."

**_Duckies Rox My Sox's Totally Amazing Corner_** (DTAC for short)

Well, hello everybody! I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. I wanted to just list some important things first.

Kikyo haters, sorry, i'm not gonna make fun of her. You'll get to see mulyiple Kikyo personalities in this. Of course, she will do some hilarious things but... they all will.

I can't update every day. Especially because its summer and I work. I will, however, update at least once a week but probably a lot more than that. (hopefully)

Thank you and good morning!


	2. Chapter 2

**_Walk Away_**

Chapter 2

-

The work the next day was piled on for Kagome. She started off her lovely day by cooking a five course breakfast for her stepfamily. What did she make it out of when she had yet to go to the market? You don't want to know.

That was followed up by the long awaited trip to the market. The trip took much longer than it needed to because so many people were blocking the streets with their preparation for the gathering.

Kagome spent the rest of the day either cooking, scrubbing, or sewing and the day seemed to go on forever.

She was doing the same work as any other day. Its just that the anticipation and worry for that night was constantly gnawing away at her. She still had no idea what she was going to wear. She was in possession of only three dresses and only one of them was considered modest enough to where out; it hit just below her knees.

"Oh, Kagome," called Kagura. "I need you to help my daughters and me prepare for tonight. As you know we are much too weak to help ourselves."

'yeah,' thought Kagome, 'I'll show you weak.' However, what she said was, "Yes, ma'm." Always eager to please, that Kagome.

"Right, well, I need you to first draw my bath and then you may go help the girls until I ring you." Ring you. How Kagome hated that little bell. It was two inches tall, opaque glass, and pure evil.

Kagome headed into the bath chambers. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months, all though she had just cleaned it the day before. She waded through the miscellaneous soaps and perfumes to get to the tub. It took her four trips with the gallon buckets to fill the tub and each time she went the copper pails burnt her arms. Just some more scars to add to her growing collection.

When she was certain Kagura was satisfied, she went to help Kikyo and Kanna.

Kanna was Kagome's least favorite step-sister. She wasn't particularly mean or anything. She just… didn't talk; simple as that. Kagome could never know what Kanna wanted unless Kikyo interpreted for her. Seeing as Kikyo was getting ready herself, Kagome was going to have a fun time.

"Um, Miss Kanna," she said, "Would you like me to help you with your dress.

"…."

"All right then." Kagome headed over to the bureau. She reached in and picked out a bright green dress. It was about time Kanna wore some colors. "Is this good?"

"….."

Kagome went over to Kanna to help her put it on. SLAP! Kagome went sprawling on her back. Ok. So Kanna didn't want that dress. Kagome went back to the bureau and picked out a plain white dress. This time Kanna let Kagome dress her.

After brushing Kanna's hair, Kagome left and went to go check on Kikyo.

"Miss Kikyo," Kagome said knocking.

"There you are! I have been waiting. I can't decide between the blue dress and the checkered dress." Kikyo looked distressed as she glanced back and forth between the two choices.

"Kikyo… the checkered 'dress' is an apron." It wasn't that Kikyo wasn't smart it was that… she was interesting. Her mother had never enrolled the girls in school and so they had never learned the essentials such as reading, writing, and telling dresses from aprons. They had Kagome for that kind of thing anyhow.

"So I should where the blue one?"

"Yes, Kikyo. Where the blue one."

Tinkle tinkle

It was that little bell. 'One day,' Kagome swore, 'I will rid myself and the rest of humanity from that bell for good.' Thinking of how she could "accidentally" smash the bell into millions of pieces, Kagome headed over to the bathroom.

The first thing she did when she entered the bath chambers was wince. Standing there in all her birth day glory was Kagura.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Kagura asked. "I need to be dried off and dressed."

Kagome should have been used to this by now. She helped bathe Kagura once a week. But Kagura was something you just couldn't get used to.

When everybody was dressed and ready, Kagome showed them to the door.

"Now, Kagome. I want the floors spotless by the time I come home. Do you understand me?" Kagura asked the last part slowly, as if Kagome were dumb.

"Yes, Ma'm."

"Good. Come along girls." And with that the three of them headed out the door.

"Do you understand?" Kagome mimicked Kagura's voice.

-

_At Sango's Tree_

-

Kagome arrived about ten minutes later than she said she would because of some extra wash that needed to be done.

"Pst! Kagome!" A voice called from a nearby bush.

Going over to it, Kagome found a scrunched up Sango inside. "Sango? Is this another one of your customs?"

"No, you idiot! Do you know how long I have been waiting for you in this bush? And what are you wearing?!"

"Hey! I wore my best rags!"

Sango sighed. This was no time for her friends so-called sense of humor. "Let's just go."

The kingdom gathering was a huge event. Everybody gathered in the middle of the kingdom for music, dancing, and entertainment. The people especially loved it because the royal family was always present.

Kagome and Sango showed up an hour after it had all started; what they like to call being fashionably late.

"Do you see them anywhere?" Kagome asked, looking around.

"Nope, the step-evils are nowhere to be scene. The coast is clear."

"Roger that."

"Who's Roger?" Sango looked confused. Kagome had a tendency to use odd phrases that nobody understood.

"Never mind. Come on." The two girls headed over to watch the fire-eater. The crowd for that was large ever since that unfortunate incident three years ago. Kagome, being the short little thing she was, had a hard time seeing so she decided to back up some. She continued to walk backwards until she hit what she assumed to be a brick wall.

"oww!"

Magically, the brick wall answered back, "Well then, watch where you're going!"

"Ah! Magical brick wall! Please, no more magic!!" she screamed earning her the condescending glances from some of the people around her.

"I'm not a brick wall," the wall said. Turning around, Kagome came face-to-face with Prince Inuyasha.

"Oops. Eh heh heh heh…" Kagome laughed nervously. "Sorry."

"And who is this fair lady?" Now that she was more aware of her surroundings, Kagome noticed a man standing next to Inuyasha. "Excuse me miss. I am Miroku, Inuyasha's personal advisor. Would you accept the honor to bare my child?"

Thump! Miroku ended up flat on his back with an irate Inuyasha standing over him. "Miroku! Stop hitting on every girl you meet!"

"Kagome!" Sango wandered over to the group. Looking at the man on the ground and the hanyou standing over him, she asked, "Um, who are these people and why are they so weird?"

"Sango, this is Prince Inuyasha and his personal advisor Miroku."

"Pleased to meet you," Sango said, sticking out her hand. Miroku and Inuyasha just stared at it. "Oh! I am so sorry. It is a custom where I am from to shake the hand of someone you meet. I have lived here for years and I still can't break the habit."

"My Lady, I am very fond of foreign customs. Perhaps if you agreed to bare my child, we could teach it in your ways."

Slap! Miroku down for the count.

"Lech!"

Kagome was getting irritated that they were missing all of the fire-eater's antics. "Come on! I still need to find somewhere I can see what the heck he's doing!"

"Climb on my shoulders," Inuyasha said bending over. Kagome squinted at him for a moment. "Ok!" Kagome was never one to argue a free view.

The view from on top of Inuyasha's shoulders was amazing! Not only could she see all that the fire-eater was doing, but she could see the pastry vender… the children playing… her stepfamily headed that way… the puppet guy. Whoa!

"Sango! We have to go now!"

"Why?"

"Step-evils at ten o' clock."

Kagome jumped off of Inuyasha's shoulders and took off running. Unfortunately, she was so busy running from evil that she didn't notice she had left her bag behind. It wouldn't matter except that her bag contained everything from the money for the market next week to some extra food.

"Stop!" Inuyasha yelled.

Unfortunately Kagome was too far away for him to find. Apparently she wasn't too far away for the curse to not be effective, though. She happened to stop right in the middle of the road while a carriage was fast approaching.

"Kagome, Run!" yelled Sango. And did she ever run. Now Sango had to yell at Kagome to slow down. "Why did you stop like that? You could have been killed?"

"I don't know. It might have been the curse, but nobody else is around here."

"Yeah… Let's just get home."

"I'm sorry I ruined your gathering, Sango."

"It's fine. Besides, it wasn't you. It was that lech!"

-

_Later That Night_

-

Kagome had gotten all of the floors cleaned and was making dinner when her peoples walked through the door.

"Kagome, be a dear and bring us our food. We are starving." Kagura said. The three women sat down at the table.

"It will be right out, m'am," Kagome said, her body already walking involuntarily to the kitchen.

It was a long evening between serving them food, helping them dress for bed, and cleaning up. She should have been dead tired, but, the truth was, she was more wide awake than ever. She couldn't visit Sango again.

She had been stupid enough to forget her purse at the gathering and she had no idea how she was going to pay for next weeks food. It was times like these that she pulled out the silver necklace her mother had given her before she died. She loved the feel of the little silver balls and the milky white pearls.

She was so preoccupied in her thoughts that she didn't notice Kagura enter her room.

"So, wench. You were hiding something from me, were you?" Kagura's voice startled Kagome.

"N-no, ma'm," she managed to spit out.

"Then what do you call that little thing you are holding?" Kagome looked at her necklace and promptly put her hands behind her back.

"Hand it over, wench." Kagura watched as Kagome turned red in an effort to disobey and then took the necklace when she handed it over.

Now, Kagura's daughters may not have been the brightest candles in the bunch, but Kagura was quite conniving. She had to be to get where she was today. Slowly the wheels began to turn in her head.

"Kagome, stand up." Kagome obeyed.

"Now, clap your hands three times." She watched as Kagome held her hands to her side until she finely clapped.

"Lovely," Kagura said as she headed out the door. "Good night, Kagome."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Walk Away**_

Chapter 3

The following day was torture for Kagome. She had been up all night worrying after Kagura's discovery. So far Kagura had used her new found power approximately… fifty times. But that was just a rough estimate. The afternoon found Kagome sitting in the top branches of the apple orchid.

Picking apples to sell is harder than it looks. You can't just pick any apple. If that was true, everyone would pick up the apples that fell off the tree. No, those apples are better left for beggars. You need to find apples that are very near perfection. Where do you find those apples? At the top of the trees, of course.

So that's what Kagome was doing; sitting at the top of the tree, picking apples, and placing them in the basket positioned soundly next to her.

"Hello up there," a voice called. It caught Kagome so off guard that she fell out of the tree. Lucky for her, two strong arms caught her before she hit the ground. Scratched and bruised but otherwise fine, Kagome regained her footing. "Damn it. Do you have to be such a klutz?"

Finally getting a look at her rescuer, Kagome manage to look annoyed. "Are you just going to show up everywhere?"

"Fine, then I won't return your purse. See if I care." Inuyasha swung the bag over his shoulder and started walking off.

"Wait!" Kagome called, running after him. Inuyasha smirked. "I knew you'd come around. Now take this. I can't believe I'm carrying a woman's bag."

"Whatever. But, anyway, thanks." Kagome said as she took her bag. Peering inside she heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, good."

"What? Did you think I'd take your money? In case you forgot: I'm royal. I don't need your money."

"Yeah, well, you can never tell with you palace people. Greed seems to be your people's best friend."

Inuyasha stopped walking and looked at her. "Feh. You really have a messed up view of me, don't you? Besides, what's so important about two coins? You live in a big enough house."

Kagome stared back at him. "One: It's not messed up. The people on the court are crooked. Two: It matters because I do not live here. My stepfamily does. I just serve them. That money is our food budget for next week and if I don't have it you don't want to know what I'll be making food out of!" Kagome was full out yelling now.

Inuyasha wasn't exactly sure how to respond. "So work for me." Or maybe he was sure…

"…."

"C'mon. It would get you away from here and you could once and for all see how normal people on the court are."

Kagome considered it. Nobody who knows her secret, more food, maybe even less work. "All right. But on one condition."

"Hm? And what's that?"

"I never have to climb an apple tree again."

For the first time in a while, Inuyasha genuinely laughed. "Deal. We have people for that."

They continued to walk for a while until they reached Kagura's house. "Do you want to get your things now? You can come back with me now, if you want," Inuyasha asked.

Kagome thought. The family was away seeing a play right then. The timing was perfect. "All right. I just need to leave a note."

Inuyasha nodded and followed her into the house. "Um, stay here," Kagome said, pointing to a couch, "I'll be right back."

"I'll help you."

"No! I mean, I can do it. There's not much."

Inuyasha gave her a skeptical look but sat down despite himself.

Kagome ran upstairs and put her other two dresses, a hairbrush, and an apron that she had taken from Kikyo's room (she was pretty sure that Kikyo would never miss one of her special "dresses") and then ran back downstairs. "All right."

"Where are your things?"

"In my bag."

"…."

"It's Ok. I have everything I need."

"… All right…."

After leaving a note, they both headed out the door and to the palace. "I have my carriage here," Inuyasha said. That made Kagome happy who wasn't too pleased at the prospect of walking for that long.

-

_At the Palace_

-

Inuyasha took Kagome to the servant's quarters. Opening the door, he let her enter in front of him, "This is it."

It took a while for Kagome to absorb it all in. The room was so much bigger than her closet room. It contained two mats, an amour, and a private washroom. Was that great or what? "Wow," Kagome breathed.

"What?" Inuyasha looked at her. "You're acting like you've never seen a room before."

"R-right. Of course I have! I w-was just… admiring the color!"

"It's brown."

"Yeah," Kagome said firmly, "and that's just the way I like it. No bright colors keeping you awake all night and no morose black. Brown; a nice, simple color."

"O…k…" Inuyasha said, wondering if she was slightly woo in the head. "Just put your things by that cot over there and I'll show you around."

"I have a cot?" Kagome wasn't expecting that.

"Yes. What did you expect? Hay?"

"Something to that extent. I've never had a cot."

"You've never had a bed?!"

Oops. Kagome hadn't meant to let that slip. She stuttered trying to collect herself. "W-w-what I meant to s-say was that… I have never had a cot! I-I usually slept on a hay mattress like everyone else!"

Something was up but, since Inuyasha couldn't put his finger on it, he let it slide. "Well, come on. I'll show you around."

Kagome followed Inuyasha out the door and through a few corridors. They went through many rooms and in each one Inuyasha topped to explain what went on in them. There was one particular room that caught Kagome's eye. Or rather it was the people in it that drew her attention.

"Sango?"

Indeed, sitting in a room with Inuyasha's lecherous friend was Sango. Sango looked up and, seeing Kagome, immediately went and hugged her friend.

"Kagome! What are you doing here?"

"Uh, I work here now. The question is what are you doing here?"

"After I took you home I went back to the gathering. Miroku and I started talking and we really hit it off. We're engaged!"

"…."

"Kagome?"

"……"

"Kagome? Are you all right?"

"You're engaged?! Sango, we just met him yesterday!"

"I know. But aren't you at least happy for me?"

Kagome looked at her friends earnest face and sighed in defeat. "Yes, Sango. I'm happy for you."

Mean while, Inuyasha had gone around to Miroku. "What's this Monk? You had better not be doing this just to get an heir."

Miroku gently pried Inuyasha's claws from his shirt front. "Inuyasha, I assure you that I have thought this through. Sango is an amazing woman. Far more amazing than any other woman I have ever met."

Inuyasha glared at Miroku. "All right, Monk. But if this is some dirty trick I will kill you myself."

"Wait," Kagome said, "You're a monk? I thought you were Inuyasha's personal advisor."

"He is," Inuyasha replied. "He also has some spiritual energy and he comes from a long line of monks. But there is certainly nothing virtuous about him."

"Oh, you wound me, dear friend." Miroku took a pained look upon his face. Inuyasha bashed him in return.

"Kagome! Does this mean that you're living here now?" Sango asked, suddenly realizing what her friend's new job meant.

"Yeah. I guess so." Kagome was beginning to have doubts. What if Kagura came and ordered her to go back? Then she would have to leave and she wouldn't even be able to explain why.

"That's so great! Now you don't have to work for Kagura! And I bet you even have a real r--" Sango was cut off by Kagome's hand over her mouth.

"Routine," Kagome finished for her. "Yes, I will. I suppose at least."

"But I wasn't going to say--"

"Inuyasha, can you tell me what I will be doing around here?"

"Huh?" Inuyasha said ingeniously, still trying to figure out what Sango was going to say. "You'll just be doing simple chores. In the mornings you clean; you serve food at meals; and, unless someone needs you, you have the afternoons off. We have too many people working for us to keep you busy all of the time."

'All right,' Kagome thought. 'Hopefully things are going up for me now. I really, really hope so.'

-

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_**DTAC!!**_Read for very important information that could affect your health (or not….)

Hey, ya'll! I want to thank my one reviewer! One reviewer. You know what that means? It means you need to scroll down or whatever you need to do until you see that big purple button and then click "review". Leave me pretty comments with lots of flowers and a happy birthday and such!

Hm… So I promised you would see Kikyo's good side way back in chap. 1 and so far all you have seen is her interesting side. We'll take care of that soon. In the mean time, follow the path to wherever my brain takes you at the moment. Hopefully you will find much food at the end.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, peoples! So, why am I typing at the top of the page and not down in DTAC? I wanted to apologize for not updating this in so long! Our internet people killed our computer for a while. So, sorry!!

I also wanted to thank loveXhopeXfaith for all the nice reviews they have given. I'll get more in depth with that at the bottom. See you there!

_**Walk Away **_

_Chapter 4_

"Coming through!"

It had been a week since Kagome had started at the palace and things seemed to be going Ok. Or at the very least, she wasn't dead yet. Being acutely uncoordinated has it's downfalls.

Kagura hadn't been very pleased when she had come home to Kagome's note. Her growl had been heard for miles. Most people thought it was just a hungry werewolf, but Kagome knew better. She slept with one eye open from then on.

She was now carrying five plates of food (four on her arms and one on her head) to breakfast and her fellow servants weren't making it easy.

She had already dropped one plate and nearly trampled an elf. But somehow she managed to make it to the table relatively unharmed.

"Let's see. Eggs and bacon for Sango. Sausage for Miroku. Grits for Inuyasha. Ew! Inuyasha, you like grits?"

Inuyasha just glared at her and she laughed. He had a major "tough-guy" attitude around others but she just found it funny. Like a puppy barking at truck.

"Pancakes for Sesshomaru and all of the above for Rin."

She had just met Rin and Sesshomaru a few days ago when they had returned to visit. Sesshomaru was Inuyasha's half-brother and ruler of Sango's home country. Rin was his ever-happy, ever-hungry wife.

"Thank you, Kagome. Would you like to join us?" Rin asked between bites. She had already polished off the bacon and eggs.

"Oh, No thank you. I still have things that need to be taken care of."

She hurried to start cleaning up the other's rooms before they finished eating.

'Hey,' she thought, 'Naraku wasn't at breakfast. I wonder if he's sick.'

Grabbing a thermometer just in case, she decided to start on his room. She entered slowly to make sure she wouldn't disturb him. It didn't matter because the room was no longer occupied that morning.

Kagome didn't mind. Naraku tended to have the least to clean up. She supposed it had something to do with the "World Domination" thing he was always muttering about. It sounded like a fun club. Maybe she'd join when she had a chance!

She finished work fairly quickly and so decided to go visit Sango.

"Come in," Sango said when she knocked on her door. "Kagome! Come, sit down!"

Kagome found herself being pushed onto a chair and then holding a drink that she wasn't sure where it came from.

"How are you Sango?"

Sango smiled. "Good! I was just thinking about something. But its not important in the least."

Kagome nodded and opened her mouth to speak.

"No," Sango said obviously no longer paying attention to Kagome, "It is important. I have to talk to her about it. But she won't understand. Of course she will! She's your best friend. But she is a little crazy some times."

"Sango!" Kagome yelled getting her attention, "Hey. Sitting right here."

"Oh, Kagome. I'm so sorry. What I mean to say is, I need to talk to you about Miroku."

"Ok. Spill."

"Well, I really like him. You know that! But he was a huge womanizer before I met him. I can keep him in line but how do I know that I'm not just another woman to him?"

So that's what this was about. It's to be expected. Sango did get engaged to Miroku the very day she met him…

"Sango, You are a great person and any guy would be lucky to have you."

Sango glared daggers at Kagome. "That was the cheesiest line you could possibly use."

"All right. How about 'Miroku is obviously smitten with you?'"

Sango sniffed. "Keep going."

"Sango, he hasn't looked at another woman since you got here! Heck, he almost punched Inuyasha when he was rude to you."

"You're right. I guess It was just jitters." Sango leaned her head on Kagome's shoulder.

-

At Kagura's House

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"Ugh!"

Ever since Kagome had left, Kagura had left the work up to Kikyo. She had claimed that Kanna was much too frail and sickly to be out in the sun. On the plus side, Kikyo wasn't snow white anymore.

The current moment had Kikyo, covered in dirt and stray leaves, pulling weeds from the acre-wide property.

She would never admit it to Kagura, but she actually liked the work. It was something she had never done but it made her feel good.

"Excuse me," a voice called from the front.

Kikyo hurried to the front to see a raven-haired man in royal clothing standing on the front porch. "May I help you?" she asked.

The man looked her up and down, seeming to asses whether or not she could be any help to him.

"Possibly. Is your mistress home?"

"My mother is right inside. I will fetch her for you."

The man seemed to be caught off guard. "Your mother? Aren't you the help?"

"Well, our previous maid ran away so I'm filling in. Now, if you would just come in, I'll go get Momma."

A few minutes later, Kagura and the man who they had learned was Naraku were seated in the sitting room while Kikyo served tea.

"How may I help you, Sir Naraku?" Kagura asked, obviously pleased to have someone of royal lineage visit her home. She always loved feeling more important than she was.

"I am here about your previous maid. Kagome, I believe?"

"Why, yes!" Kagura said leaning forward, her eyes wide with excitement.

"She is now working at the palace. My imbecile of a brother hired her and I would like nothing more than to rid myself of her. I would like to help you get her back."

Kagura's grin widened into an impossible length. "That would be lovely! Kikyo, did you hear that? You would no longer have to work."

"Yes, M'am." She would never let her know that she didn't want Kagome to come back.

"So how will this work?"

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Back At The Palace

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It was afternoon now and Kagome was officially done with her work. She had decided to walk the grounds and had accidentally stumbled upon Inuyasha. Literally. He had been napping in the grass when she had tripped over him and then had decided to join her on her walk.

"So, Kagura is actually your step-mother?"

Kagome had been feeling little honest that afternoon and had told Inuyasha everything. Or, almost everything.

"Yes. But I never considered her that. She only took me in because it would make her look bad to do anything else."

"And Kikyo and Kanna. They always seem nice enough. Well, Kanna doesn't actually talk but Kikyo seems all right."

Kagome laughed. "Kanna is silent but deadly. She's a malevolent, mind-twisting girl. Kikyo, however, is all right. She's just a little… un-bright."

"Un-bright?"

Kagome relayed to him the apron story and it had him rolling on the floor. "That's -gasp- that's hilarious!"

"Glad you think so."

Kagome and Inuyasha made their way back to the castle. Inuyasha stopped before going inside.

"You know, I think that I'm really starting to like you." And then he ducked Inside leaving Kagome outside blushing.

'What does that mean?!' she thought and walked away fanning her growing redness.

**DTAC!!!!!! **(Read this part or you will have no clue what's going on!!!!! Actually, you will. But this part could be a story all on its own. So ha!)

Hey! Again I would like to thank loveXhopeXfaith. I can't believe Sango and Miroku are engaged either! That was very spur of the moment. Luckily, this is comedy so anything can go.

Wow. This story is in no way going the way I had planned! I thought it would be much longer but I can actually see the end in sight! Just 2 or 3 more chapters and than an amazing epilogue done ducky style!

Thank you again to anyone who reads this. I know I'm saying thank you way too much but it really means a lot to me. Who better to read your work than complete and total strangers! XD Believe me, I would never let my friends or family read this. They already think I'm insane enough. So thank you!


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